Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao 2026: Tickets, Free Tuesdays and Hours
The museum reopened on 6 October 2026 after the expansion closure. Entry is now €12, free on Tuesdays for the collections, and there is a €16 combo with the Guggenheim. Here's how to plan it.
The Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao reopened on 6 October 2026 after closing from 31 August to finish its expansion works, and it came back with a new price. The free entry that ran through the works is over: since 14 October a general ticket costs €12. There is still one free day a week, Tuesday, and that is the day to plan around.
If you're also going to the Guggenheim, the two museums now sell a combo ticket for €16, which saves €8 on the two tickets bought separately.
Tickets and the free Tuesday
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| General | €12 |
| Reduced | €6 |
| Under 18 | Free |
| Friends of the Museum | Free |
| Tuesday 10:00–18:00 | Free, collections only |
| Combo with the Guggenheim | €16 / €8 (14 Oct–11 Nov 2026) |
The general ticket covers the collections and the temporary exhibitions on view. Buy it online at bilbaomuseoa.eus or at the desk. Friends of the Museum go straight in with their card.
The free Tuesday covers the collections, not the temporary shows. If what you came for is a temporary exhibition, Tuesday doesn't get you in for free. If you want the Goyas and the Basque painting, it's the best deal in the city.
What's on after the reopening
Entry is through Plaza Eduardo Chillida. These exhibitions opened with the museum on 6 October:
- La búsqueda del comienzo. Homenaje a Plácido Arango, until 2030
- Visiones de Ultramar, travelling artists from the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, until 24 January 2027
- Balerdi. La línea infinita, until 14 February 2027
- Anthony Caro on the BBKmuseoa terrace, and Itziar Okariz + Colección in the BBKmuseoa gallery
What to prioritise: the Spanish painting rooms, with Goya, El Greco, Zurbarán and Ribera, and the Basque 19th- and 20th-century painting. Plan two hours if you want the collection and one temporary show.
Hours and closing days (2026)
The museum is open every day.
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday, Wednesday to Saturday | 10:00–19:00 (collections until 18:00) |
| Tuesday | 10:00–18:00, free, collections only |
| Sunday | 10:00–15:00 |
| 24 and 31 December | 10:00–15:00 |
| 25 December, 1 and 6 January | Closed |
Rooms start clearing 15 minutes before closing. Hours can change. Confirm on the official museum page before visiting.
How to combine with the Guggenheim
The two museums are 10 minutes apart on foot. The obvious route goes along Alameda de Mazarredo, but the quieter walk is through Parque Doña Casilda.
The Guggenheim closes most Mondays and the Bellas Artes doesn't, so if your Bilbao trip includes a Monday, make it the Bellas Artes day. From Tuesday to Saturday both stay open until at least 18:00. Sunday is the tight one, because the Bellas Artes closes at 15:00. For what to see at the Guggenheim itself, see our Guggenheim Bilbao guide.
If you only have one day and the Guggenheim is the anchor, visit the Bellas Artes first at 10:00, then walk to the Guggenheim for an 11:30 slot. For the Guggenheim, buy the entry direct at tickets.guggenheim-bilbao.eus (€12 from 13 October 2026). GetYourGuide has no standalone entry ticket for that museum, only tours. The guided exterior tour (€45, English, tickets included) is worth it only if you want an expert guide for context on Bilbao's transformation through art. Otherwise buy direct: admission already includes an audio guide.
The combo ticket
The old Artean Pass is now sold as the combo ticket, on both museums' booking pages. From 14 October to 11 November 2026 it costs €16 adult and €8 for students and over-65s. Bought separately, the two tickets cost €24, so the combo saves €8.
You book a timed Guggenheim slot and can use the Bellas Artes on the same day or within four days either side. The one case where it doesn't pay: if your Bellas Artes visit falls on a Tuesday, the collections are free and you only need the Guggenheim ticket. The combo guide has the maths for each case.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao cost?
€12 general and €6 reduced since 14 October 2026, after a free reopening week from 6 to 13 October. Under-18s and Friends of the Museum enter free. The ticket covers the collections and the temporary exhibitions on view. You can buy it online or at the museum's desk.
Is the Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao free?
On Tuesdays, yes. From 10:00 to 18:00 entry is free and covers the museum's collections, not the temporary exhibitions. The rest of the week it charges €12. It was free during the expansion works, but that ended with the reopening in October 2026.
What are the opening hours in 2026?
Open every day. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10:00–19:00, with the collections until 18:00. Tuesday 10:00–18:00, free, collections only. Sunday 10:00–15:00. On 24 and 31 December it runs 10:00–15:00, and it is closed on 25 December, 1 January and 6 January. Rooms start clearing 15 minutes before closing.
Is there a combined ticket with the Guggenheim?
Yes. The combo ticket costs €16 adult and €8 for students and over-65s from 14 October to 11 November 2026, against €12 + €12 bought separately. You choose a timed Guggenheim slot and have four days to use the Bellas Artes. If you can visit the Bellas Artes on a Tuesday, skip the combo and buy only the Guggenheim ticket.
Can you visit the Museo de Bellas Artes and Guggenheim on the same day?
Yes. They are about 10 minutes apart on foot. The Guggenheim closes most Mondays and the Bellas Artes now opens every day, so Monday is a Bellas Artes day and any day from Tuesday to Sunday works for both. Sunday is the tight one: the Bellas Artes closes at 15:00.
Last verified: October 2026